Faux finishing processes, such as sponging, stippling and rag rolling, are popularly used to create various textures, patterns or attractive combinations of colors on walls or surfaces using various types of surface coatings (hereinafter collectively referred to as "paint"). To achieve the faux finish, the paint is applied using sponges, rags or other paint applicators. However, the techniques employing such sponges, rags and other paint applicators are labor intensive, time consuming and require great skill to produce an attractive finish.
To reduce the time, labor and skill necessary for creating a faux finish, paint supply and finishing systems employing paint rollers have been developed. These systems include a bifurcated roller and a three compartment paint tray. The bifurcated roller includes a handle supporting two distinct shafts which rotatably support cages configured to receive roller covers. The three compartment tray is a generally rectangular basin having two integrally molded partitions which divide the basin into three elongate compartments. Each compartment includes a ramp and a deep well. The ramp includes an integrally molded grid. To prevent the paint rollers from absorbing too much paint, the tray additionally includes insertable plastic grids which are positioned within the wells to limit the extent to which the rollers may be dipped into the wells.
To create a desired faux finish, different colors of paint are poured into each of the compartments of the tray. Depending upon the desired finish, either standard roller covers or patterned roller covers are positioned on the cages of the bifurcated roller and are simultaneously lowered into the different paint colors contained in adjacent compartments of the paint tray. To remove excess paint from the roller covers, the covers are rolled across the grids or are rolled across scrap paper. The two roller covers are then rolled across the wall or surface to simultaneously apply the two paint colors in an overlapping fashion.
Although the described systems reduce the time and skill necessary to create attractive faux finishes, the bifurcated roller and the three compartment tray of there systems have several disadvantages. Because the roller is bifurcated, the roller frame can only be used for supporting two spaced apart roller cages and roller covers. As a result, the bifurcated roller frame is limited to particular faux finishing techniques and cannot be utilized for the conventional application of paint to walls and other surfaces. Because the handle must support two separate bifurcated shafts, the manufacture of the handle is complex and expensive. In addition, because the handle must support the two bifurcated shafts, the handle is subject to cracking and failure.
Moreover, the three compartment paint tray and the associated plastic grids waste paint and are difficult to use. Because each of the compartments contains different colors of paint, it is extremely difficult to pour the different colors of the unused paint back into their original containers for storage. Moreover, because the tray and insertable plastic grids frequently allow paint rollers to carry too much paint, the excess paint must be removed by rolling the rollers across the grids and also across scrap paper. The frequent necessity of removing excess paint from the rollers increases the time required to finish the surface and wastes paint.
As a result, there is a continuing need for an improved paint supply and finishing system that is simpler to manufacture, easier to use, more durable, less wasteful and more versatile.